GI Professional Ethics & Communication 4

Question 1

A GI patient is scheduled for an esophageal dilation and tells the nurse they did not fast as instructed. The nurse's first action should be:

Accepted Answer

Notify the physician immediately and delay the procedure

Answer

Aspiration risk from an unemptied stomach requires physician notification and likely procedure postponement.

Question 2

When communicating discharge instructions to a patient with newly diagnosed GERD, which technique best confirms patient understanding?

Accepted Answer

Teach-back method, asking the patient to repeat instructions in their own words

Answer

The teach-back method is the gold standard for verifying patient comprehension of health education.

Question 3

A patient's chart contains an error made by another clinician. The GI nurse's ethical obligation is to:

Accepted Answer

Notify the clinician who made the error and follow facility policy for correction

Answer

Documentation errors should be corrected per facility policy, which typically requires notifying the originator and adding an addendum.

Question 4

Which scenario best illustrates the ethical principle of non-maleficence in GI care?

Accepted Answer

Withholding an unnecessary antibiotic to prevent C. difficile colitis

Answer

Non-maleficence means avoiding harm, which includes preventing iatrogenic complications like C. difficile from unnecessary antibiotics.

Question 5

A GI patient refuses to have a student nurse present during their flexible sigmoidoscopy. The nurse should:

Accepted Answer

Honor the patient's request and remove the student from the room

Answer

Patients have the right to refuse the presence of students or trainees without affecting the quality of their care.

(GI) Gastrointestinal Practice Test